With West Ham United now officially secured in the Premier League for next season, their pursuit of River Plate fullback Gonzalo Montiel is taken even more seriously.
The Argentine press had been pointing out the Hammers’ battle against relegation as an issue for their attempt to sign the player, but it seems there’s a clear path now.
Website El Intransigente says West Ham’s offer for Montiel could arrive at River Plate ‘in the coming days’. They claim it’s a ‘matter of hours’ until the Hammers get in touch with the Argentine side.
The report states that the player is protected by a €20m release clause, and the Premier League side would offer only €12.5m.
El Intransigente writes that there’ll be ‘tough’ negotiations, since River Plate will work hard to get the best possible price for Montiel.
Last week, the player’s agent claimed that €12.5m is the minimum price for West Ham to pay for the player, since that amount would be needed to convince the FA that he deserves a work permit for the Premier League.
